Download - D47 Sunshiner - August, 2013
TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL
THE SUNSHINERDistrict 47 News and Events
August 201 3
THE CONTEST ISSUE
FEATURE STORIES
Tips from Contest Pros 8
Lessons Learned 9
Contest Calendar 1 0
NEWS
On the Scene in Cincinnati 11
Club Incentives 1 2
Welcome to District 47 1 2
Toastmasters in the News 1 3
"Stop the Sominex" 1 3
Trained and Ready
- Bahamas 1 4
- Boca Raton 1 6
- Broward 1 8
- Miami 20
DEPARTMENTS
Contributors 2
Messages from the DEC
- District Governor 3
- Lt. Gov. Education & Training 4
- Lt. Gov. Marketing 5
- Public Relations Officer 6
Club Presidents' Corner 6
Leadership Tip of the Month 6
The Digital District 7
July Education Awards 22
Got News? 25
Shantelle Moxie, DTM
HelpYourMembersShine
Visit www.toastmastersd47.org
and click Resources for Members
on the homepage — or click here:
Quality Contests:Click to Page 8
Subscribe to The Sunshiner
By Shantelle Moxie, DTM
District 47 Contest Coordinator
Speech contests are an important
part of the Toastmasters program.
They provide an opportunity for
members to gain proficiency in their
speaking abil ities and offer many
leadership opportunities. For those
not participating, they provide an
opportunity to observe and learn from
more skil led speakers.
Competing in speech contests is a
way for us as Toastmasters to
showcase the skil ls we have learned
in our home clubs. I t is a fun way to
develop confidence and poise and
allows us to challenge ourselves
beyond our comfort zones. The act of
preparing for a speech contest
compels us to refine our message
and sharpen our body language and
vocal variety. As speakers, we rel ish
the comfort and safety of speaking in
front of the same audience at our
home clubs. Contests force us to
speak in front of different and larger
audiences as we move to higher
levels of competition. In addition,
contests may be in larger venues,
which wil l require us to move about
a larger stage or platform, amplify
our voices and get accustomed to
using microphones.
For the club, contests are public
events and can provide
opportunities for publicity to raise the
awareness of Toastmasters in your
area. Sponsoring the contest also
serves as a learning experience for
members. I t al lows members to
Lou Brown , ACS/ALB ("Boca Raton TLI"),
has been in Toastmasters since February
2007. He has been a Division Governor, an
Area Governor, a Club President, Club Vice
President and Club Secretary.
Curtis Bryan, DTM ("Bahamas TLI"), joined
Toastmasters in October 2009 and was Area
80 Governor in 2011 -1 2. He is Division I
Governor, former District 47 Sergeant At
Arms and a member of Trailblazers
Toastmasters.
Marlene Bryan, DTM (“Lessons Learned,"
"Broward TLI"), has been a Toastmaster for
over four years. She is Division A Governor,
Secretary of Seminole Casino Toastmasters,
Past President of Gelfand Good Morning
Toastmasters and Past VP Public Relations
of Seminole Casino Toastmasters.
John Lazar, DTM ("Miami TLI"), joined Doral
Toastmasters in August 201 0. He is Division
E Governor and Sergeant At Arms at Yellow
Rose Toastmasters.
Shantelle Moxie, DTM (“Help Your
Members Shine”), joined Toastmasters in
2002. She has been President, Vice
President Education and Vice President
Membership for Plantation Toastmasters.
She has served as Area 23 Governor and is
District 47's Contest Coordinator.
CONTRIBUTORS
2 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
Sharing WisdomTHE SUNSHINER
Published by Toastmasters International District 47,
Southeast Florida and The Islands of The Bahamas.
Submit articles, questions and comments to
DISTRICT 47 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEDistrict Governor
Francis Molina, DTM
Lt. Governor Education and Training
Anthony "Tony" Longley, DTM
Lt. Governor Marketing
Damien Mil ler, DTM
District Public Relations Officer
Douglas Shachnow, ACG/ALB
District Secretary
Gary Sharp, ATMG/ALB
District Treasurer
Greg Henry, DTM
District Sergeant At Arms
Thomas Plant, ACB/ALB
Immediate Past District Governor
Matt Kinsey, DTM
Division Governors
Div. A: Marlene Bryan, DTM
Div. B: Johnny Segarra, ACB/ALB
Div. C: Chim Francisco, DTM
Div. D: Patricia Vallejo, ACB/ALB
Div. E: John Lazar, DTM
Div. F: Jason Springer, DTM
Div. I: Curtis Bryan, DTM
OTHER DISTRICT OFFICERSTLI Training Coordinator: Antionette Fox, DTM
Contest Coordinator: Shantel le Moxie, DTM
Fall Conference Chair: Phyll is May, DTM
Webmaster: David Clarke, DTM
Parliamentarian: Michael Schoen, CTM/ALS
Social Media Chair: Ruth Field Beck, ACB/CL
Sunshiner Editor: Kate McClare, ACB/CL
Look for more district roles to be fi l led in the near future.
www.toastmastersd47.org
Every year, Toastmasters around our District practice and prepare to
compete for bragging rights as the best speaker. As a Toastmaster,
you gain additional ski l ls by participating in any (or al l) of the four
contests we hold during the year: Humorous Speech and Evaluation
in the fal l and Table Topics and International Speech in the spring.
This is one of the best ways we celebrate how talented our members
in District 47 are!
Competing in a contest pushes your boundaries as speaker to a new
level. I t moves you outside the comfort zone of your home club and
lends you an opportunity to showcase your learned skil ls with other
Toastmasters around the District. Your confidence level is elevated as
you are afforded a chance to be exposed to a larger audience. But if
you don’t feel brave enough to put your name in the “contest hat, ” you
can sti l l benefit by fulfi l l ing one of the many roles required to run a
contest at any level—Club, Area, Division or District. Many of these
roles carry Communication and Leadership credits toward a Toastmasters designation.
Contests can also provide you with the perfect occasion to gain new members! Regardless of the type of club you
attend—Community, College or Corporate—you can advertise that your club is seeking an audience for the benefit
of participants. Imagine having both Toastmasters and non-Toastmasters cheer you on as you compete! Make a
point to educate your audience on the benefits of the Toastmasters program and focus on everyone having a great
time. Don’t forget to invite the guests to come to a future Toastmasters meeting and ask them to become members.
This issue of The Sunshiner focuses on the components of a quality contest event and provides you with
suggestions for putting on a fantastic show! Be sure to attend not only your own club’s contest, but also the event
produced by your Area, your Division—and definitely your District’s Fall Conference and Contest.
Have a great time—and may the best speaker win!
Francis Molina, DTM
Governor, District 47
MESSAGES FROM THE DISTRICT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
THE SUNSHINER 3
DISTRICT GOVERNOR
Member Experience Factor:Conducting Quality Contests
Francis Molina has been a Toastmaster since 2005, when she joined her Corporate Club as Charter Club
President. She has held all club officer positions in her home club and has served District 47 as Area Governor
(President's Distinguished Area Governor 20092010), Division Governor (President's Distinguished Division
Governor and Division Governor of the Year 20102011) and High Performance Leadership and TLI Chair.
Contact Francis at [email protected].
Francis Molina, DTM
District 47 officers’ training is wrapping up and all indications are that we wil l
have reason to celebrate. The effort being expended by our Area and
Division Governors, Contest Chairs and a host of enthusiastic volunteers is
commendable. The training stats are increasing daily and I am predicting that
by the time you read this (yes, you’ve heard it here first), we wil l have
exceeded the Toastmasters International minimum goal of having 85 percent
of officers trained. Can you feel the excitement? Now, I don’t want you to get
too comfortable, because to be No. 1 in the world we cannot settle for
minimum standards. The No. 1 standard calls for 1 00 percent of officers
trained by end of August! Our District Training Coordinator, Antionette M.
Fox, DTM, is doing a remarkable job of tal lying the numbers and we’re
looking very good. Team, let’s stay focused and keep at it!
Most clubs have completed their Humorous Speech and Evaluation
Contests, and Area Contests are in high gear. Members, I cal l upon you to
support your Club, Area and Division Contests. Won’t you agree that
speaking is so much more fun when there is a wonderful audience sitting
before you? You wil l find some of the contest dates printed in this issue of
The Sunshiner. The ful l contest calendar can also be found on the District's
website and Facebook page. Anyone needing information on contest planning can contact the District’s Contest
Coordinator, Shantel le Moxie, DTM, at [email protected]. During this contest season, many new talents
wil l be discovered. That simply means we’l l have many more reasons to celebrate!
I f you were not in Cincinnati , Ohio, for the Toastmasters International Convention, I hope you had an opportunity to
watch the semi-finals and subsequently, the finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking via l ive streaming.
Our own District 47 International Speech Champion, Kendrick Knowles, did an admirable job against stiff
competition. Although he did not advance to the finals, Kendrick represented us well and we should al l be proud of
his performance. Two years ago, Sean Purvis, representing District 47, was disqualified because he went 1 2
seconds over the allotted time. Sean returned this year representing District 48 (Florida West Coast), and placed
third in his group during the semi-finals. We in District 47 have two reasons to celebrat: Sean Purvis and Kendrick
Knowles. Congratulations to both gentlemen for their outstanding achievements.
Toastful ly,
Anthony "Tony" Longley, DTM
Lt. Governor Education & Training, District 47
MESSAGES FROM THE DISTRICT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
4 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
LT. GOVERNOR EDUCATION & TRAINING
Many Reasons to Celebrate
Tony Longley joined the First Bahamas Branch of Toastmasters Club 1600 in May 1987. He has been a club
officer in various roles, and has served as a Club President, an Area Governor and a Division Governor. He was
named District 47 Division Governor of the Year in 20092010. Tony was the District's YLP Chair for South Florida
and The Bahamas in 20102011 and Public Relations Officer for 20112012.
Contact Tony at [email protected].
Tony Longley, DTM
We are in excellent position to make major accomplishments in this term!
The charge given to all District Leaders at the Toastmasters International
Conference held in Cincinnati was to spread the benefits of Toastmasters to
al l within our reach. I join our leaders in challenging all members of the
District to join us in meeting this charge. In that spirit, I am happy to remind
you of the two current major incentives that are achievable targets for our
clubs to achieve more as core units:
Membership Dues Challenge
Incentive Dates: August 1 – September 1 6
We want our clubs to achieve more! We can do this by keeping our clubs in
good standing, by settl ing International dues settled by September 1 6. This
starts with… YOU. By doing this, you can help to earn your club a 4-Pack
Competent Leader & Evaluation Kit
The Smedley Award
Incentive Dates: August 1 – September 30
In honor of Ralph Smedley, challenge your club to add five new, dual or reinstated members between August 1 and
September 30! ! By doing so you are awarded:
A "Smedley Award" ribbon to display on your club’s banner
A special 1 0% discount for your club's next order at the Toastmasters store
These are just two of many incentives available to multiple levels in our district. Every month, expect a summary of
the current incentives that are available to your club and membership!
Do you want to be a Club Coach or Sponsor, or a Marketing Chair? If you feel you possess the character, vision,
stick-abil ity and foresight of a true leader, then volunteer to be one of our program’s shining examples and contact
me today! I look forward to soon announcing the names of the lucky team who wil l be working to keep our District
strong. Find your Talent!
Yours,
Damien Miller, DTM
Lt. Governor Marketing, District 47
MESSAGES FROM THE DISTRICT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
THE SUNSHINER 5
LT. GOVERNOR MARKETING
Meeting New Challenges Together
Damien Miller has been an avid member of Toastmasters clubs in Florida and The Bahamas since June 2002. His
leadership positions have included a term as a President’s Distinguished Area Governor for 20062007. Most
recently, he served as Chairperson of the 2012 Fall Conference, which successfully returned to The Bahamas
under his direction and that of a dedicated team of committee members from throughout the District.
Contact Damien at [email protected].
Damien Miller, DTM
Some months back, Toastmaster
magazine’s lead article profi led
Susan Cain, the author of Quiet, The
Power of Introverts in a World That
Can’t Stop Talking. In the book, Cain
points out that many of the greatest
contributions to humanity have been
those from individuals who are
introverts, persons with more
cerebral incl inations versus being
outspoken at any opportunity. Cain
makes the case that a person of
reserved disposition is not one to be
viewed as having nothing to contribute.
Cain, a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, a former
Wall Street attorney—and a TED speaker—is the 201 3 recipient of
the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award. She accepted
the award after addressing the 1 ,500+ attendees of the Golden
Gavel Dinner at the International Convention in Cincinnati.
From her short acceptance speech, what came back to me on my
fl ight home was how, as a Toastmaster and self-described introvert,
she stressed the greatness—and critical importance—of an
organization that does so much to draw people out, give them the
confidence to overcome their anxiety about speaking and contribute
to the prevail ing dialog. More directly stated, what the quiet person
next door has to contribute could be mankind’s next boon. So…
Do you know any introverts? They should be your first targets as
prospective members; invite them to your club’s next meeting!
Sincerely,
Douglas Shachnow, ACG/ALB
PublicRelations Officer
MESSAGES FROM THE DISTRICT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
6 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
CLUB PRESIDENTS' CORNER
Share Your Success
Club presidents: Have you solved a
challenge in your club or come up with a
new way of doing the same old-same old?
Stop by the Presidents’ Corner and share
your wisdom!
Each month in Presidents’ Corner, The
Sunshiner wil l offer advice and tips from
club presidents throughout District 47.
Send us a tip on membership, training,
club organization, working with your club
officers or any other topic that has caught
your interest as a President, and we’l l
present it your fel low Toastmasters.
Send your story via email, with the
subject line “Presidents’ Corner,” to
Introverts Wanted
Douglas Shachnow, ACG/ALB, joined West Boca Toastmasters in
February 2010 and has served that club as Vice President Public
Relations and Vice President Education. He has also been an active
member of Sensor Toast.
Contact Douglas at [email protected].
Douglas Shachnow, ACG/ALB
Leadership Tip of the Month
Having difficulty getting members to step
up as club officers? Split a role into
manageable parts. For instance:
1 . Secretary: Ask someone to take meeting
notes for you and distribute them to the
club members.
2. Sergeant At Arms: Have someone else
call the meeting to order.
3. VP Education: Assign someone to track
the titles and dates of member speeches.
Once members are comfortable with these
small duties, you can then introduce them
to other parts of the role and perhaps
encourage them to run next time.
—Francis Molina, DTM
District 47 Governor
By Ruth Field Beck, ACB/CL
District 47 Social Media Chair
Social media is a useful tool for
promoting events to a large number of
people. This is true for al l social
media, including Facebook, Twitter
and LinkedIn. Email blasts provide the
same opportunity. Social media and
email also allow the user to send the
same message privately to multiple
individuals, al lowing a more personal
and direct experience within the
communication. Private messages can
retain the consistency of the message blast.
A challenge in using social media is to consider the group being
contacted. I t is important to know if they use social media, which
provides l imited means of knowing who reads any given message
unless the reader actively responds to a message. Email provides
options with which the sender can select to be notified if an email is
del ivered, is returned "undeliverable," and if the email is opened. The
options also include a notification if the email is deleted without
being opened. The sender is sti l l not aware what the recipient does
with the email unless the recipient actively replies.
Event planners can use spreadsheets to track the response to the
messages being sent through social media and email . Depeding on
what is used, the social media user may need to fol low up. I t is
important to know your audience, so as to not inundate them with
messages. I t's also important to use several kinds of communication,
such as personal communication, websites, flyers, newsletters and
media such as newspapers, radio and TV.
Toasting you,
Ruth Field Beck
Social Media Chair
THE DIGITAL DISTRICT
THE SUNSHINER 7
Reaching All of Your AudienceConnectwith
Your FellowToastmasters
Ruth Field Beck joined Toastmasters International in 2008 and is a
member of NCCI Toastmasters and Boca Raton Advanced
Toastmasters, both in Palm Beach County. She has served as an
officer in various capacities and was Area 30 Governor in 201213.
Contact Ruth at [email protected].
Ruth Field Beck, ACB/CL
www.toastmastersd47.org
Looking for us online? Searchfor Toastmasters District 47at these sites:
Meetup
YouTube
QUALITY CONTESTS
FROM PAGE 1
8 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
assume leadership roles, some of which can count
toward Competent Leader. Sponsoring club contests also
helps to develop camaraderie, as everyone comes
together to support the winner at the higher levels.
The keys to having a successful contest are simple:
1 . A successful contest is planned well in advance
(at least 6-8 weeks), allowing members enough time
to prepare for their roles.
2. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
Toastmasters International has created a guide that’s
easy to follow; you can find it on the website
(www.toastmasters.org).
3. Don’t try to do it all on your own. Ask for help and
delegate tasks.
4. Most important, know the rules. Read and re-read
the contest rulebook!
To help our club winner in the
area contest, I l ike to have the
contestants practice several
times in the club. I f we have
our club contests in June and
in November/December, our
winners would have plenty of
time to practice.
― Brooke Samples
Hobe Sound Toasters
Expect the unexpected.
Audiences can cause
interruptions. Roll with the
unexpected.
― Beverly Cordner
SensorToast
Remember to make the event
al l about the contestants.
Interview them while waiting
for results for example, and do
everything to make them at
ease !
Have the Contest Rule book
handy (it's downloadable from
www.toastmasters.org)
Advertise when the next-level
contest is just before you
announce the winners, and
confirm right away with them if
they wil l be able to go.
— Samantha O'Neil, DTM
North Miami Beach
Toastmasters and
Inspiris Toastmasters
Know people’s names! I f you
are the contest master, take a
few minutes at the beginning
of the contest to learn how to
pronounce the contestants'
names. I t is your responsibi l ity
to make everyone feel
comfortable and welcome,
and this is an easy way to
make that happen.
― Karen Goliger
NCCI Toastmasters
Tips from Contest ProsWe asked some of the District's seasoned contest veterans for
their best advice on creating quality contests:
FEATURE STORY
THE SUNSHINER 9
Lessons Learned:
How to Prepare for a Successful Contest Event
By Marlene Bryan, DTM
Division A Governor
Create a vision and theme for the event. I found that
spending time thinking about what significant event was
occurring near the event made it easier to develop a
theme. I t was near Presidents’ Day. I knew the
upcoming District 47 Spring Conference theme was
around the Air Show. Thus my title for the Area 1 2
Contests was “Hail to the Chief of Speakers.” This
encompassed the idea ofAir Force One, the President,
fl ight and, of course, our speakers.
Share your vision with others. I consulted with a few
folks to help me develop the title and to share my vision.
Identify key positions that need to be filled: Contest
Chair, Contest Master, Chief Judge, etc.
Recruit early. Once I had identified the positions, I
started recruiting folks to assist me in fi l l ing these roles.
Update the team. I regularly emailed the team to inform
them of any changes or updates.
Advertise, Advertise, Advertise. I created a flyer and
placed it on all the Facebook District 47 Group pages
that I had access to and sent it out via email .
Create a list of materials and positions you will
need. I created an Excel spreadsheet of al l the items
that I needed: banner, flag, lectern, etc. I checked off
each item as I had possession of it or if someone was
responsible for bringing it.
Create a program. I started creating a program for the
event a few weeks prior to the event.
Find a printer. I uti l ized ADP Printing for printing the
program because I knew the owner is a fel low
Toastmaster and understands the importance of the
event. I t was more convenient and reduced my stress.
Obtain sponsors. I cal led on people I knew who had
their own businesses and asked them for donations to
help with the costs and for any items they could
contribute to the event.
Arrive early the day of the event.
Prepare files for each position. I prepared a folder for
each position that had the need for forms such as the
judges’ forms. I also provided pens for writing.
Recognize everyone who made the event a success.
Proofread all materials.
The biggest lesson for me is that a leader should:
• Take the time to create a vision
• Share it with others
• Enlist others' assistance
• Empower them to do well
• Communicate often
• Expect that things don’t always go as planned
• Apologize when you have made a mistake
• Make adjustments quickly
• Rest the night before
• Relax and have fun
Overall, I believe we had a fantastic event and those
in attendance enjoyed themselves.
Marlene Bryan was
Area 1 2 Governor
in February 201 3,
when she chaired
the Area's
International
Speech and Table
Topics contests.
The Sunshinerasked her to share
what she learned.
10 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
FEATURE STORY
201 3 Contest Calendar
DIVISION A
Area 1 0: September 6
6:30 p.m. Fountain Square
1 5980 Pines Blvd. , Pembroke Pines
Area 11 : September 1 4
11 a.m. Florida Career College
7891 Pines Blvd. , Pembroke Pines
Area 1 2: September 1 2
7 p.m. Temple Sinai
1 400 N 46th Ave. , Hollywood
Area 1 3: September 7
8:30 a.m. Universal Truth Center
21 31 0 NW 37th Ave. ,
Miami Gardens
Area 1 4: Date to be determined
Miami Lakes Educational Center
5780 NW 1 58th St. , Miami Lakes
Division A Final: September 21
8:30 a.m. Broward College Library
3501 SW 64th Ave. , Davie
DIVISION B
Area 21 : September 7
9 a.m. Denny’s Restaurant
31 51 Powerl ine Rd. , Oakland Park
Area 24: Date to be determined
N. Lauderdale Saraniero Library
6901 Kimberly Blvd. , N. Lauderdale
Division B Final: October 1 9
1 0 a.m. Oakland Park Library
1 298 NE 37th St. , Oakland Park
DIVISION C
Areas 30 and 31 : September 7
9 a.m. Boca Community Center
1 50 Crawford Blvd. , Boca Raton
Areas 32 and 33: September 21
9 a.m. Boca Community Center
1 50 Crawford Blvd. , Boca Raton
Division C Final: October 5
9 a.m. Boca Community Center
1 50 Crawford Blvd. , Boca Raton
DIVISION D
Area 42: September 1 2
5 p.m. Gardens Library
Area 43: September 7
11 a.m. Florida Career College
6085 Okeechobee Blvd. ,
West Palm Beach
Division D Final: October 5
2 p.m. IRSC Wolf Center, Stuart
DIVISION E
Area 50: September 11
Location to be determined
Area 52: September 3
Location to be determined
Areas 54 and 55: September 7
Location to be determined
Division E Final: September 21
2 p.m. Location to be determined
DIVISION F
Area 61 : September 3
6:30 p.m. Bahamas Red Cross
Society, JFK Drive
Division F Final: October 9
6:30 p.m. Paul Farquharson
Conference Center
East Street Police Headquarters
DIVISION I
Area 90: September 1 2
8 p.m. Breezes Super Clubs
Area 91 : September 9
6 p.m. Scotia Main Branch
Area 92: September 5
6 p.m. Bahamas Union of Teachers
Area 93: September 1 3
11 a.m. Purple Mae Restaurant,
Lower Bogue, Eleuthera
Area 94: September 1 4
7 p.m. Location to be determined
Division I Final: October 1 0
7:30 p.m. Breezes Super Clubs
Here are the dates for upcoming Area and Division rounds of the 201 3 Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests, .
Winners of each Division Final wil l compete at the District Conference, Nov. 8-1 0 in Fort Lauderdale. Visit
www.toastmastersd47.org for more information.
DISTRICT NEWS
THE SUNSHINER 11
Region 8 International Director Kristina Kihlberg, Immediate Past
Region 8 Advisor Rick Furbush, new Region 8 Advisor Eileen Wolfe
and Past International Director Dave Hollingshead join District 77
leaders on stage for their awards, presented by outgoing
International President John Lau.
On the Scene in Cincinnati
Caption
Below: Immediate Past District
Governor Matt Kinsey accepts
the Excellence in Education
Award on behalf of Hieu Huynh,
2012013 LGET.
The District 47 team had a busy week at the International
Convention in Cincinnati , Ohio. Here are just a few highl ights:
District PRO Douglas Shachnow at the Hall of Fame
The TRIO joins Kendrick Knowles Jr., District 47
International Speech champion.
Club Incentives: Go for It!
12 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
DISTRICT NEWS
District 47 has some irresistible incentives for
the Distinguished Club Program (DCP).
Anthony “Tony” Longley, District Lt. Governor
Education & Training, recently shared the
rewards that can be earned by clubs making
certain goals by November 30:
• 4 new CCs: 5 advanced manuals
• 2 new ACs: 2 Better Speaker Series manuals
• 4 new ACs: 4 Better Speaker Series manuals
• Combined 2 new CLs and ALs: 5 Leadership
Excellence Series manuals
• Combined 4 CLs and ALs: 1 COMPLETE SET
(11 ) Leadership Excellence Series manuals
• 5 DCP points: 1 set of 7 advanced manuals
• 8 DCP points: 1 set of ALL 1 5 advanced manuals
Entry in a drawing to win 1 Spring
Conference registration.
Please join us in welcoming our newest club:
Meisner Electric Toastmasters Club 341 4370 in
Delray Beach.
"Meisner Electric is our first new club of 201 3-1 4,"
says District Governor Francis Molina, DTM.
"They join us thanks to the efforts of Divison C
Governor Chim Francisco, DTM, Area 30
Governor David Paltanavich, ACB / ALB, and the
entire Division C team."
Welcometo District 47
All this could be yours: All 15 Advanced Communication
Manuals, a $75 value. But wait — there's more!
(Image courtesy of ToastmastersInternational.org)
This is one Fall Conference you don't want tomiss: The keynote speaker will be Ryan Avery,201 2 World Champion of Public Speaking.
More information: www.toastmastersd47.org
THE SUNSHINER 13
Division F Governor Jason Springer reached the ultimate Toastmasters
goal — Distinguished Toastmaster — and the Bahamas newspaper The
Punch took notice in its July 29 edition. Here's an excerpt:
Super Springer earns top honour in Toastmasters!
Toastmasters International announces that Jason Springer, District 47
Division F Governor, has achieved the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster.
“Becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster is the highest achievement in
public speaking,” says Lynda Hammond, Toastmasters District 47, which
incorporates Southeastern Florida and The Bahamas.
It requires the mastery of both communication and leadership skills. In
order to achieve DTM status, a Toastmaster member must present over 40
speeches evaluated by other members and (fulfill) several types of
leadership positions.
Jason’s leadership roles include Charter President of Pinnacle Seekers
Toastmaster (20102011), Division I Public Relations Officer (20112012)
and Area 92 Governor (20122013). He is currently Division F Governor
with responsibility for over 20 Clubs throughout The Bahamas.
TOASTMASTERS IN THE NEWS
Jason Springer, DTM, gets congratulations from
Immediate Past Division F Governor Judy
Simmons in The Punch, Bahamas (July 29, 2013).
Springing Forward
Have you ever sat through a
BORING presentation at a meeting,
conference or TLI that made you
sleepy? As the presenter cl icked on
their 50th sl ide, were you looking at
your watch AGAIN?
We all know the cure for
presentations that make people
sleepy or eager for the end. Let's use
it with every presentation!
"Stop the Sominex" (STS) is an
initiative by Beacon Point Advanced
Toastmasters to help District 47
trainers "Find the Talent Within" and
provide the most engaging, effective
and energized presentations for our
members. I f you want to be a
speaker at the upcoming District
Conference, you MUST be prepared
to give our members an AMAZING
experience. Let us work with you to
make this happen.
Come to our Open House on
Monday, September 30, from 6 to 9
p.m. at Total Wine in Plantation, to
learn about "Stop the Sominex,"
designed just for the trainers and
leaders of District 47. Space is
l inmited to 30 people, so you must
RSVP to get a spot. Email Debbie
Kest, VP Membership, at
[email protected] with "RSVP"
in the subject line so that she can
put YOUR name into the "must be
present to win" raffle and save a
glass for you at the complimentary
wine tasting celebrating the launch.
I f you are one of the great trainers in
our District (or want to be one),
RSVP to the Beacon Point Advanced
Open House. "Stop The Sominex" by
learning and growing together!
—Lydia Harris, President
—Lynda Hammond, VP Public
Relations
Beacon Point Advanced
Toastmasters
"Stop the Sominex": The Presenter's Wake-Up Call
District 47 went all out on training this summer,
with five sessions of the Toastmasters
Leadership Institute (TLI). Here, and on the next
seven pages, we present the TLIs in The
Bahamas, Boca Raton, Broward and Miami. The
fifth event, in Stuart, occurred after our deadline,
so we'll present it in our next issue.
Trained and Ready
DISTRICT NEWS
14 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
Bahamas - June 28College of The Bahamas
By Curtis Bryan, DTM
Division I Governor
Toastmasters International requires
that its club leaders be trained to
effectively lead the clubs they
represent; thus, the Toastmasters
Leadership Institute, aka TLI .
In The Bahamas, the TLI Chair was
Past District Governor Antionette
Fox, DTM, who is District TLI
Coordinator. As District Governor,
she led District 47 to President’s
Distinguished and No. 5 in the world.
She was on a rol l , ensuring that
everything was in place: from the
start with breakfast to the conclusion
with a speech and the evaluation of
Kendrick Knowles, who represented
District 47 in the 201 3 World
Championship of Public Speaking.
More than 1 00 people attended,
including officers and members,
because there were many classes
offered other than club officer roles.
Our keynote speaker was Clothie
Lockhart, DTM, Past Division I
Governor and a former District 47
and Region 8 International Speech
Champion; she competed in the
World Championship of Public
Speaking in the late 1 980s. The
day's lectures were presented by
former leaders of both Division F
and Division I . Club leaders all over
The Islands of The Bahamas are
now buoyed up to take the mission
and vision of the Toastmasters
program the length and breadth of
the country.
A special thank you is extended to
Antionette Fox and her team:
Lt. Governor Education & Training
Tony Longley, DTM; Lt. Governor
Marketing Damien Mil ler, DTM; Clothie
Lockhart, DTM; Past District 47
Governor Pamela Rolle, DTM; Division
F Governor Jason Springer, DTM;
Kendrick Knowles; al l of the Area
Governors and their Area Councils from
both Divisions F & I ; and the presenters
and participants.
There is sti l l more work to be done,
and so the training continues.
The Bahamas' Area and Division
Governors continue to attend club
meetings to ensure that our leaders
empower individuals to become
more effective communicators and
leaders and fulfi l l our mission.
The date has not yet been set for
the January TLI , but you can be
assured that it wil l be even more
informative and a top-quality event
that wil l add value to all attendees.
Much Achieved, Much Still to Do
Kendrick Knowles, District 47International Speech champion
THE SUNSHINER 15
Bahamas TLIBelow: Area 90 Governor PedroYoung; Antionette Fox, DTM;Shanika Pinder of CableRevolutionaries; and LGET TonyLongley, DTM. Bottom right: PastDistrict 47 Governor Pamela Rolle,DTM. Bottom left: Past Division IGovernor Clothie Lockhart, DTM,with Division F Governor JasonSpringer, DTM. Center left: LGMDamien Mil ler, DTM. Top left: A ful lhouse gets down to business.(Photos by Rashad R. Flowers)
DISTRICT NEWS
16 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
Boca RatonJune 29Olympic Heights High School
This Is What Success Looks LikeBy Lou Brown, ACS/ALB
Immediate Past Division C Governor
The numbers have been crunched!
The figures have been tabulated!
The results are in! The verdict is . . .
Tropical TLI Boca was a HUGE
success!
Thank you to all attendees, district
leaders, session presenters, session
facil itators, registration attendants,
raffle helpers, greeters, set-up/clean-up
crews and on-the-spot volunteers (too
many to mention — you know who you
are!) for attending/helping at our event
on June 29 at Olympic Heights High
School in Boca Raton.
A BIG thank you to our TLI co-chairs for
al l your hard work planning and
executing this awesome event!
We trained HUNDREDS of Club
Officers. We enlightened several first-
timers. We entertained everyone with
our wonderful keynote speaker. Tasty
treats and radical raffle prizes capped
off the event.
Special thanks goes to these volunters:
Beverly Cordner, ACS, ALB, Immediate
Past Area 32 Governor; and to Susan
Above: Closing remarks by thenDistrict Governor Matt Kinsey. Center:Class is in session! (Photos by Yibing Kevin Zhu) Bottom: WillasueSusskind and the Thought of the Day? (Photo by Kate McClare)
Gingerich, Gary Sharp and
Douglas Shachnow.
Thank you for making this
investment in yourselves, in
your clubs and in your
members. The returns wil l be
immense!
SUCCESS wil l fol low:
Self-empowered
Unlimited
Courageous
Confident
Extraordinary
Sensational
Self-improvement
Clockwise from bottom left: District 47Governor Francis Molina with PauloSchneider, Area 33 Governor; FrankFletcher teaching the President class;Kip Barkley's Vice PresidentEducation session; keynote speakerMichelle Balaun, Boca RatonAdvanced Toastmasters; PaulFletcher and Luis Sarmiento,Hollywood Toastmasters.
(Class photos by Yibing Kevin Zhu, Balaun
photo courtesy of Michelle Balaun, others by
Kate McClare.)
THE SUNSHINER 17
Boca Raton TLI
DISTRICT NEWS
18 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
BrowardJuly 20Broward College
Don't Panic - Help Is on the WayBy Marlene Bryan, DTM
Division A Governor
When I got the email from my contact at Broward College that she had
a space large enough to host our Broward Toastmasters Leadership
Institute (TLI) and six additional rooms for the workshops, it was four
weeks before the event. I went into a panic unti l I remembered that this
is a Toastmasters event. I knew that if I sent out the request for help, I
would get it.
I am happy to say, I was not disappointed. I had many people volunteer
to assist. I t was truly amazing. We had a total of 1 9 speakers who
agreed to conduct workshops and 1 9 facil itators who stepped up to
assist the speakers. We had folks who agreed to lead certain areas
such as the registration desk headed up by Chris Shield and the raffle
led by Joset Simms. Maria Alexandra Sanchez quickly volunteered to
organize the speakers; Maria Lucassen said she would lead the
facil itators; Laura Thezine led the Hospital ity Team; Clint Conliffe
jumped in to assist with setting up the main room; Jonas Sears and
Chuck Field immediately sent me emails to volunteer as our
photographers.
The response was so immense and made me proud to be part of such a fantastic organization as Toastmasters
International. I especial ly appreciate having Dr. Larry Benovitz as our Keynote Speaker. He truly identified what it
takes for “Finding the Talent Within. ” My many thanks go out to al l the volunteers/Toastmasters who raised their
hands and came together to make the Broward TLI so successful. We also couldn’t have conducted this event
without the assistance and the hospital ity of Broward College for hosting us on their campus; or that of our amazing
caterer, Love at First Bite (recommended by Toastmaster Jerrod Clerisant) which supplied a terrific medley of tasty
food.
This event taught me that I need not worry much when there are Toastmasters around. Things may not fal l into place
like you planned – maybe you’l l forget the sign-in sheets for the workshops, l ike I did. But in the end, Toastmasters
always pull it together and present themselves in a great l ight. Next time you have a contest, TLI or Toastmasters
meeting and things don’t seem quite right at first, remember: Don’t panic. Help is on the way.
Keynote speaker Dr. Larry Benovitz, Gelfand
Good Morning Toastmasters
Left, from top: A red-carpetmoment with District 47Governor Francis Molina,keynote speaker LarryBenovitz, Division AGovernor Marlene Bryanand Lt. GovernorEducation & Training TonyLongley; Marlene and Tonycelebrate with raffle winnerVijay Sawh; FCCToastmasters membersRomaine Lindo,TonikaBromley, El izabethSanchez, Maria Sanchezand Francisco Llerenastrike a pose.
(Photos on both pages by
Jason Sears and Chuck Fields)
THE SUNSHINER 19
Broward TLI
DISTRICT NEWS
20 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
MiamiJuly 1 3Keiser University
AWinning TLI — by a Nose!By John Lazar
Division E Governor
Did you get your Red Nose in
Miami? If you were there, you would
know what that meant. Don't miss
the next event.
The TLI in Miami was a team effort.
Thank you:
Eddy Lopez, PR Chair for the event,
for the pre-event ads, the flyer, the
brochure and all the collateral
material .
Kathy Dyke, Education Chair, for
assembling, fol lowing up and
guiding al l the speakers and
facil itators.
Patricia Rivera, Registrar, for
compil ing al l the names from the
classes so the officers get credit.
Lakeesha Morris and team, for
helping run registration
Evelyn Hsu and Geary Scott, for
helping out with hospital ity and
setting up.
Tony Noisom and Jason Stewart, for
helping fi l l in and making a
difference in cleanup and running
some parts of the day.
The best part of the day was the
speakers and facil itators teaching us
to be officers and running several
workshops. A special thanks to
Matthew Hoelscher for taking
amazing pictures.
For me, the best part of the event
started with the humorous Israel
Gonzalez from FIU Business,
continued to the energized Marlene
Bryan and on to District Governor
Francis Molina.
We had dueling keynote speeches,
with Richard Crusan talking about
Mil itary/Storytel l ing and Kristina
Kihlberg talking about the Journey.
Fun and passion led the day.
And a special thanks to the leaders
and volunteers who could attend the
event from all the clubs. You made a
difference!
Matthew Hoelscher gets into the spirit
THE SUNSHINER 21
Miami TLI
Clockwise from below: DistrictGovernor Francis Molinagreets the participants;Region 8 InternationalDirector Kristina Kihlbergtalks about the Journey;Kathy Dyke, Education Chair;class in session.
(Photos by Matthew W. Hoelscher)
In July...
22 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
THE SUNSHINER 23
24 CREATING QUALITY CONTESTS
Does your club have an impressive way of attracting new
members? How do you make your meetings fun? Got a
special anniversary or other event coming up?
The Sunshiner wants to know.
Send us news and feature articles about your Toastmasters journey
so we can share them with the rest of District 47.
We’re aligning the main feature stories with a monthly theme, and
we're looking for contributions feeding into each idea.
But you don’t have to fol low the theme to get in; al l news is welcome,
whether it fits the theme or you just want to share club happenings.
Submit articles, images and comments to:
Articles: Submit them via email , as Word attachments or in the body
of the email . Write “D47 Sunshiner” and the article title in the subject
l ine of your email .
Images: For proper reproduction, we prefer original JPG files rather
than links to online photos, which often
are so small they get distorted when
enlarged to the size we need. Try for
resolution of at least 200 dpi, or
dimensions of at least 3 by 5 inches.
Include as much information as you can
about the subjects in the image. I f you
did not shoot the photo yourself, please
tel l us who did so we can give proper
credit.
For all submissions: Please include
your name and phone number, in
case we have questions.
Issue Theme Deadline
September 201 3 Taking Your Talents to New Heights Sept. 1 0
October 201 3 Fall Conference: Heroes & Vil lains Sept. 1 4
November 201 3 Contest & Conference Review Oct. 1
December 201 3 Resolutions for Results Oct. 1 4
January 201 4 Recruiting Quality Club Leaders Nov. 1 4
February 201 4 The FUN Issue Dec. 1 4
March 201 4 TMI ’s New Education Program Jan. 1 4
Apri l 201 4 Membership Campaigns That Add Up Feb. 1 4
May 201 4 201 4 Spring Conference March 1 4
June 201 4 District 47 Year in Review April 1 4
Got news?Share it with your fellow Toastmasters
THE SUNSHINER 25
Look for al l the news you need to know on
Fall Conference, in the October issue of
The Sunshiner. And don't forget to get usyour own news by the deadlines below: